1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to combustors, and more particularly to a catalytic combustion chamber arrangement for gas turbine power plants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This case is related to Westinghouse Case 44,633 of S. M. DeCorso and P. W. Pillsbury and application Ser. No. 482,911 of common assignee.
Combustion chambers for gas turbines, have been comprised of annular arrays of cylindrically shaped burners or cans. Each combustion chamber or can, would have a single fuel injection nozzle and a spark plug, disposed at its upstream end. Air passageways would be disposed throughout the walls of the can to provide combustion air and to cool the walls of the combustor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,883 of S. M. DeCorso and assigned to the present assignee, shows an annular array of combustors disposed with a gas turbine.
As combustors have become increasingly sophisticated, and, incidently, as environmental pollution laws have become more stringent, arrangements for reducing contaminants, and for producing desirable temperature profiles from exit orifices of the combustors have abounded. An example of a prior art combustor is shown in U.S. Pat. No. issued to DeCorso and Carlson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,058. This patent, assigned to the present assignee of the present invention, describes a double walled, stepliner combustor for providing and withstanding high burning temperatures. An example of early U.S. art is U.S. Pat. No. 2,285,944, wherein a burner for gaseous fuels utilizes refractory or catalytic material. U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,778 shows a fuel injection arrangement in a standard combustion chamber, but does not suggest individual regulation thereof, nor does it suggest catalysts and discrete fuel injection and ignition with portions therewith.